icrc-annual-report-2013

CONTEXTTensions remained high along the Line of Contact and the internationalborder between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Cross-borderexchanges of fire and the presence of mines/explosive remnantsof war (ERW) continued to have adverse consequences for securityand the socio-economic situation, causing both military andcivilian casualties and exacerbating political tensions between thetwo countries.Mediators from the Minsk Group of the Organization for Securityand Co-operation in Europe periodically visited the regionand met with Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, with a view toreaching a peaceful settlement to the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.Notably, the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met for the firsttime in almost two years, at a summit organized in Austria by theMinsk Group.Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev gained a third term in electionsconducted in October. The country’s economy continued to relyheavily on the oil sector. Nagorny Karabakh remained dependenton aid from its diaspora and subsidies from Armenia.ICRC ACTION AND RESULTSThe ICRC continued working to alleviate the humanitarian consequencesin Azerbaijan of the unresolved Nagorny Karabakhconflict. It monitored – through regular field visits – the situationof civilians living near the Line of Contact and on both sides ofthe international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and,when necessary, reminded the Armenian, Azerbaijani and de factoNagorny Karabakh authorities of their obligations under IHL.In partnership with the Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan andthe British Red Cross, the ICRC continued to implement activitiesto help people living in villages along the Line of Contactand the international border become resilient and self-sufficient.These included improving their access to water for drinking andirrigation, providing them with livelihood opportunities, andaffording them better protection against exchanges of crossborderfire through home repairs. Some activities, includingrepairs to water infrastructure, the construction of protective walls,and harvesting near the Line of Contact and international borderwere made possible through temporary security agreementsbetween the defence authorities, facilitated by the ICRC in its roleas neutral intermediary.Acting as a neutral intermediary and at the request of the partiesconcerned, the ICRC facilitated the voluntary repatriation of twoArmenian civilian internees from Azerbaijan and the recovery ofthe remains of an Azerbaijani civilian killed in a mine explosionnear the international border.Resolving the fate of people who went missing during the conflictremained a priority. The ICRC assisted the Azerbaijani StateCommission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons(CEPOD) and the de facto commission in Nagorny Karabakh insetting up and managing a centralized system for ante-mortemdata collected from the families of missing persons, providingtechnical support throughout the process. The Azerbaijani authoritiesand the de facto authorities in Nagorny Karabakh approved aproject to collect biological reference samples from close relativesof missing persons for future DNA profiling, and identified storagesites for the samples.The ICRC continued to encourage the authorities to meet theneeds of the families of missing persons; it also helped build thecapacities of local NGOs to address, comprehensively, the psychological,legal, administrative, health-related and economic needs ofthe families. It worked with local partners to reduce the families’isolation by promoting peer support and facilitating their access tosuitable service providers.Azerbaijani Red Crescent/ICRC teams surveyed victims of mines/ERW and their families to assess their needs; they also assistedsome vulnerable families who had lost their breadwinners in mine/ERW-related incidents. In Nagorny Karabakh, the ICRC supportedthe de facto authorities in managing information about mine incidentsand mine victims. Vulnerable elderly and disabled peopleand their families received food and hygiene parcels to help themmeet their basic needs.The ICRC visited detainees according to its standard proceduresand monitored treatment and conditions as well as respect for IHLin relation to POWs/civilian internees. It shared its findings andrecommendations confidentially with the authorities concernedand provided material assistance to the most vulnerable detainees.The Azerbaijani authorities, in high-level discussions, expressedtheir readiness to renew an agreement on ICRC access to detainees.Humanitarian issues arising from the conflict remained centralto the ICRC’s dialogue with the authorities, including the de factoauthorities in Nagorny Karabakh. Promoting the incorporationof IHL in military training and operations continued, with ICRCpresentations for active servicemen and for the de facto armedforces in Nagorny Karabakh. Media coverage of ICRC activitieshelped raise public awareness of the plight of conflict-affectedpeople. Owing to administrative constraints and other factors,some planned activities were cancelled or postponed.Partnering with the National Society also meant helping it tostrengthen its core capacities (particularly in emergency preparednessand response), including first-aid instruction, restoringfamily links, and disseminating IHL and Movement principles.CIVILIANSNeutral intermediary role facilitateshumanitarian activitiesFor civilians living along the international border betweenArmenia and Azerbaijan, cross-border exchanges of fire and thepresence of mines/ERW were sources of continued insecurity.Field trips to border regions and contacts with local communities,civilian and military authorities and National Society branchesenabled the ICRC to remain abreast of the humanitarian situationand monitor respect for IHL. It also raised civilians’ concernswith the relevant authorities, including the de facto authorities inNagorny Karabakh, reminding them through written representations,when necessary, of their obligations under IHL, especiallywith regard to protecting civilians.Armenia and Azerbaijan concluded a temporary security agreementwith the ICRC acting as a neutral intermediary, whichallowed the remains of an Azerbaijani mine victim to be recoveredfrom no-man’s-land and handed over to his family. Acceptance ofthe ICRC’s neutral intermediary role also led to provisional agreementsthat facilitated activities benefiting communities along theLine of Contact and international border (see below). Under asecurity guarantee obtained by the ICRC at a local community’s368 | ICRC ANNUAL REPORT 2013